A Practical Theology for Complex Places
By Dr. Chris Seiple on 02 June 2009
I am often asked two things as a Christian working for a religious freedom organization: (1) Why does a Christian work for the religious freedom of non-Christians not to follow Christ; and (2) How can you be a Christian and still talk to Islamists and Communists?
I have written about the first question elsewhere.1 But I have not addressed in simple and direct fashion our theological basis for engaging foreign places so distinctly different from the mainstream of American culture.2
For example, how is it that IGE has talked to, and signed agreements with, a freely-elected Islamist party whose platform had been anti-Americanism and the imposition of Shari’a law in Pakistan’s Northwest Frontier Province? Why would IGE sign agreements with the government of Vietnam, which is officially atheistic? Isn’t IGE giving up its Christian identity by engaging these “types” of governments and people? What is your theology of engagement?
These are fair questions.
So I thought I’d share the following five theological pillars of our engagement. These simple statements are not new. But, over the years, they have been revealed in a cohesive manner that provides the theological framework for our engagement. In using these guidelines, I’ve never had to compromise my identity as a Christian, or as an American, nor have I ever dishonored a culture that I was engaging. In fact, I have found that when people overseas ask us why we do what we do, they deeply appreciate such clear-cut and transparent principles.
God is sovereign. This is an easy statement to make, and a difficult one to grasp. If God is sovereign, then there are no intractable problems. If it is His world, and He is at work in it, then we should expect to find Him working in the most complex and difficult situations. His ways are not ours, but we do know that His word does not return void (Isaiah 55:8-11). He will use good people, bad people, and those who do not acknowledge Him (Isaiah 45) for His purpose. His mystery and majesty are things we can only pretend to name. “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14). We are wise to put no other gods before Him, including our own methodologies of engagement.
Everyone is made in His image. God has made man and woman in His image (Genesis 1:26-27). Each human therefore has inherent dignity and deserves sacred respect. This respect is the beginning of relationships, religious freedom, and effective counter-extremism strategies. No matter our disagreements—especially our theological ones—we must remember this irreducible and immutable fact: those who don’t look like or agree with us are each made in the image of a holy and sovereign God.
Love your neighbor. If I love God, I cannot help but love my neighbor. (Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:37-40). Or as James says, “I will show you my faith by what I do” (James 2:18). To love different neighbors, however, one must venture forth from the known and comfortable. It is impossible to love from a cocoon. You can’t hug from a distance. Critically, love must be defined by how it is received. If I view my words and actions as love, but the recipient does not, it is not love.
Show up and shut up. It takes time to listen and learn about a particular country, culture, and context. Without taking this time, it is guaranteed that the above three pillars will be violated. Some Christians like to ask “What would Jesus do?” The real question is “What is Jesus doing?”And the answer is, quite a bit, once one stops to listen, discern, and learn from those who live there. God has been there long before we arrived, and He’ll be there long after (Job 38). And, by the way, He doesn’t need you or me to accomplish His purpose (Genesis 18:14)…but He longs to have you by His side, according to what He is already doing.
Let your yes be yes and your no, no (Matthew 5:37). Once you have demonstrated that you can be trusted because you have taken the time listen and learn, you will be positioned for practical impact. That impact will be defined by whether or not you keep your word. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. Be gentle but direct, soft-hearted but hard-headed. Know the particular issues and provide the needed skill sets in a manner consistent with the culture. In environments where corruption and competition abound for what you bring to the table, the person of integrity stands out, bearing testimony to his/her motivation. Once the ground rules of your personal and programmatic integrity are established, your credibility will attract excellence. Sustainable impact is not far behind.
The above principles are not a checklist and the specifics of their application are not always immediately apparent: much prayer and consultation are required. But at IGE, they represent the key pillars of a practical theology that “touches the ground.” They form and inform our relevance in some of the most complex places on the planet.
Footnotes
1. Please see: “Strategy, Evangelism, and Freedom,” 1 March 2005, available at: https://www.globalengage.org/pressroom/ftp/441-from-the-president-strategy-evangelism-and-freedom.html; “Remembering Woytyla, Shepherd of Freedom,” 4 April 2005, available at: https://www.globalengage.org/pressroom/ftp/440-from-the-president-remembering-woytyla-shepherd-of-freedom.html; and, “Religious Freedom & Reconciliation,” 6 September 2005, available at: https://www.globalengage.org/pressroom/ftp/475-from-the-president-religious-freedom-and-reconciliation.html.
2. Although we have had eleven principles of engagement since our founding (please see: https://www.globalengage.org/about/mission/principles.html), and I have written about the essence of a Christian identity in a complex world; please see, “A Saintly Start?” for my definition of a Christian: https://www.globalengage.org/pressroom/ftp/472-from-the-president-a-saintly-start.html.
Last updated 06 October 2009